The 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb has several electric car and electric motorcycle entries, and this year marks the first time for a production electric motorcycle class in the PPIHC. On Thursday, Zero Motorcycles and Hollywood Electrics announced they're backing the production electric motorcycle class, with Hollywood Electrics entering a couple bikes, and Zero Motorcycles providing technical support.
Entrants in the production electric motorcycle class include:-
- Aaron Frank, editor of Motorcyclist Magazine, who has 15 years of competitive roadracing experience
- Jeremiah Johnson, an AMA Pro racer who has several years of interest in electric motorcycle racing, and raced twice during the 2012 TTXGP season on a Zero S. In the 2013 racing season Johnson will be racing his own 2013 Zero S in the TTXGP and Pikes Peak Hill Climb
- Brandon Nozaki Miller, holds the land speed record for light-weight production electric motorcycles set with his modified 2012 Zero S
- Jeff Clark has participated in the San Felipe 250, Baja 500 and 1000 and will be riding his own modified 2013 Zero FX.
- Nathan Barker hails from Australia and the 2013 PPIHC will be his first professional road race to the top of Pikes Peak aboard his own 2013 Zero FX
The starting line for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is at 9,000 feet in altitude, and ends at the Pikes Peak summit at 14,110 feet altitude. This means the racers are in conditions of increasingly thin air, slowing reflexes, and diminishing muscle strength. For the gasoline powered vehicles it means a 30 percent reduction in combustion power. However, the electric vehicles do not have the disadvantage of combustion, and will not lose power as they travel up the mountain.
“We are breaking new ground with electric motorcycle racing; it’s the involvement and competition between the teams and riders that makes it fun. We’ve put together a great team of riders from various motorsports backgrounds and skill levels. It will be interesting to see how each combination of rider and bike tackles the Peak,” said Harlan Flagg of Hollywood Electrics. “At such an early stage of competitive electric racing, the low cost of entry makes it appealing as even the stock bikes are very competitive and there is little maintenance and incidental costs, a significant consideration for racers on a budget. We intend to show fans, other racers and the public at large that it is easy to get involved in one way or another.”
Source: Zero Motorcycles and Hollywood Electrics teaming up on Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
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